TNAG-0915-FCO40-1126-Inspection-of-British-Trade-Commission--Hong-Kong-1979 — Page 43

Section 'B' cont.

CONFIDENTIAL

service as most material on the China market is classified

(N.B. existing BTC confidential registry facilities are

inadequate for this purpose).

5. The Section will need to be plugged into all exchanges on

trade and economic matters between London and Peking. It will

be essential that triangular exchanges develop automatically in

order that the Unit is always up-to-date with policy and trade

developments.

6.

Policy and publicity for the new Unit will need to be

co-ordinated with Peking and the Hong Kong China Unit in the

DOT in order that businessmen can be made aware of the

expansion of the present China trade enquiry section.

7.

Although the Unit will be guided on reporting and tasking

requirements by the Commercial Counsellor in Peking, ultimate

responsibility for its operation must rest with the Senior

British Trade Commissioner.

It will therefore be advantageous for the

STC to have some direct experience of the China trade.

8. No separate (to the BTC) telegram series is required but

the old problem of ensuring that telegrams eminating from

Whitehall departments are correctly addressed needs to be solved

(see notes in Section 'C').

9.

Members of the China Trade Unit must be able to pay regular

visits (once every two months) to Canton and to Peking for liaison

purposes. The STC should have authority for at least an annual

familiarisation visit to Peking in order to supplement liaison visits

to Hong Kong, by the Commercial Counsellor of our Embassy.

CONFIDENTIAL